“Incoming college students rate emotional health at record low”– UCLA HERI

UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute has a led a study on incoming freshman for over 25 years. However, the Fall 2010 study shows that college freshman are coming to school with lower levels of mental health.

Only 51.9% of entering freshmen believe that their mental health is among the top 10% of or above average for all college students. This number has fallen from 63.6% in 1985 and from 55.3% in the 2009 study.

Other key findings in the report demonstrate that first-year college students continue to be concerned about their finances and how to pay for college. Entering college students also reported increased feelings of being overwhelmed.

We here at College Parents of America have been talking about this particular study for a while. And, in light of this report, we feel two basic needs for entering freshmen deserve illumination: 1) the need for continued parent-provided comfort and support to students in their first year, and 2) the need to know what university-provided services are available for student assistance.

If you’d like to read more from this report, you can view it on UCLA’s HERI website.